Daijiworld Media Network - Tokyo
Tokyo, Dec 24: Japan has reported its ninth outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza this season, after genetic analysis confirmed the presence of the virus at a large poultry farm in Kyoto Prefecture, the country’s agriculture ministry announced on Wednesday.
The infection was detected at a farm in Kameoka City that houses around 280,000 egg-laying hens. Authorities were alerted on Tuesday after abnormalities were reported among the birds. Initial rapid testing conducted the same day indicated avian influenza, while follow-up genetic tests on Wednesday confirmed the highly pathogenic strain.
In line with national disease-control protocols, all chickens at the affected farm will be culled, incinerated and buried to prevent further spread. Movement restrictions have also been imposed: poultry and eggs cannot be moved within a three-kilometre radius of the farm, and transport of poultry products outside the area is prohibited for farms located between three and ten kilometres away.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said biosecurity and disinfection measures around the site have been intensified. An epidemiological investigation team has been deployed, and additional experts from the ministry will be sent if required to trace the source of the infection and assess the risk of further transmission.
Japan’s avian influenza season generally spans from autumn through spring. The eight earlier outbreaks reported since October have already resulted in the culling of nearly 2.4 million chickens nationwide. The first case of the current season was confirmed in Hokkaido on October 22.
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, primarily affects wild birds and poultry and is caused by several influenza A virus subtypes, including H5N1 and H9N2. While human infections are rare and usually linked to close contact with infected birds, health authorities continue to monitor outbreaks closely due to their potential impact on animal health, food supply and biosecurity.